Dahlia plant named ‘Dodahyppin’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of Dahlia plant named ‘Dodahyppin’, characterized by its broadly upright and uniformly mounding plant habit; moderately vigorous to vigorous growth habit and moderate growth rate; strong branching habit; dark green-colored leaves; freely flowering habit; large double-type inflorescences with purplish pink-colored ray florets; good postproduction longevity; and good garden performance.

Botanical designation: Dahlia variabilis.

Cultivar denomination: ‘DODAHYPPIN’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Dahlia plant, botanically known as Dahlia variabilis and hereinafter referred to by the name ‘Dodahyppin’.

The new Dahlia plant is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the Inventors in Hillegom and De Lier, The Netherlands. The objective of the breeding program is to create new container Dahlia plants that have a freely branching and flowering habit, dark-colored leaves, large attractive inflorescences and good postproduction longevity.

The new Dahlia plant originated from a cross-pollination during the autumn of 2017 in Hillegom, The Netherlands of two unidentified proprietary selections of Dahlia variabilis, not patented. The new Dahlia plant was discovered and selected by the Inventors as a single flowering plant from within the progeny of the stated cross-pollination in a controlled greenhouse environment in Hillegom, The Netherlands during the summer of 2018.

Asexual reproduction of the new Dahlia plant by vegetative terminal cuttings in a controlled greenhouse environment in De Lier, The Netherlands since the autumn of 2018 has shown that the unique features of this new Dahlia plant are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new Dahlia have not been observed under all possible combinations of environmental conditions and cultural practices. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environmental conditions such as temperature and light intensity, without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘Dodahyppin’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘Dodahyppin’ as a new and distinct Dahlia plant:

-   -   1. Broadly upright and uniformly mounding plant habit.     -   2. Moderately vigorous to vigorous growth habit and moderate         growth rate.     -   3. Strong branching habit.     -   4. Dark green-colored leaves.     -   5. Freely flowering habit.     -   6. Large double-type inflorescences with purplish pink-colored         ray florets.     -   7. Good postproduction longevity.     -   8. Good garden performance.

Compared to plants of the parent selections, plants of the new Dahlia differ primarily in growth habit as plants of the new Dahlia are more uniformly branching and mounding than plants of the parent selections.

Plants of the new Dahlia can be compared to plants of Dahlia variabilis ‘Dodahhypelpin’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 31,639. In side-by-side comparisons, plants of the new Dahlia differ primarily from plants of ‘Dodahhypelpin’ in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Dahlia are larger and stronger than plants         of ‘Dodahhypelpin’.     -   2. Plants of the new Dahlia have more ray florets per         inflorescence than plants of ‘Dodahhypelpin’.     -   3. Ray florets of plants of the new Dahlia are purplish pink in         color whereas ray florets of plants of ‘Dodahhypelpin’ are red         purple in color.     -   4. Plants of the new Dahlia have better resistance to ray floret         color fading and better garden performance than plants of         ‘Dodahhypelpin’.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPH

The accompanying photograph illustrates the overall appearance of the new Dahlia plant showing the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in the photograph may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors of the new Dahlia plant. The photograph is a side perspective view of a typical flowering plant of ‘Dodahyppin’ grown in a container.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photograph and the following observations and measurements describe plants grown during the summer in 15-cm containers in a glass-covered greenhouse in De Lier, The Netherlands and under environmental conditions and cultural practices which approximate those generally used in commercial potted Dahlia production. During the production of the plants, day temperatures ranged from 18° C. to 30° C., night temperatures ranged from 16° C. to 22° C. and light levels were at least 135 watt/m². Plants were pinched one time about four weeks after sticking unrooted cuttings. Plants were twelve weeks old when the photograph was taken and eleven weeks old when the description was taken. In the following description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 2007 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Dahlia variabilis ‘Dodahyppin’. -   Parentage:     -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Unidentified proprietary selection             of Dahlia variabilis, not patented.         -   Male, or pollen, parent.—Unidentified proprietary selection             of Dahlia variabilis, not patented. -   Propagation:     -   -   Type.—By vegetative terminal cuttings.         -   Time to initiate roots, summer.—About twelve days at             temperatures about 22° C. to 30° C.         -   Time to initiate roots, winter.—About two weeks at             temperatures about 20° C. to 22° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted plant, summer.—About three weeks at             temperatures about 22° C. to 30° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted plant, winter.—About 3.5 weeks at             temperatures about 20° C. to 22° C.         -   Root description.—Medium in thickness, fibrous; typically             whitish grey in color, actual color of the roots is             dependent on substrate composition, water quality,             fertilizers, substrate temperature and age of roots; tuber             development has not been observed on plants of the new             Dahlia.         -   Rooting habit.—Moderately freely branching; medium density. -   Plant description:     -   -   Plant and growth habit.—Broadly upright and uniformly             mounding plant form; broad inverted triangle; moderately             freely basal branching habit with about four primary lateral             branches developing per plant, each primary lateral branch             with about three to four secondary branches; pinching             enhances lateral branch development; inflorescences held             above the foliar plane on strong peduncles; bushy and dense             habit; moderately vigorous to vigorous growth habit and             moderate growth rate.         -   Plant height, soil level to top of foliar plane.—About 30             cm.         -   Plant height, soil level to top of floral plane.—About 40             cm.         -   Plant diameter or spread.—About 30 cm.         -   Lateral branches.—Length: About 27 cm. Diameter: About             8.6 mm. Internode length: About 5.8 cm. Aspect: Mostly             upright to slightly outwardly spreading. Strength:             Moderately strong. Texture and luster: Smooth, glabrous;             semi-glossy. Color: Close to 143C; with development, color             becoming closer to 146A. -   Leaf description:     -   -   Arrangement.—Opposite; leaves may be single or compound with             typically three leaflets.         -   Leaf length.—About 14.6 cm.         -   Leaf width.—About 15 cm.         -   Leaflet length.—About 10 cm to 14 cm.         -   Leaflet width.—About 5 cm.         -   Leaf and leaflet shape.—Ovate.         -   Leaf and leaflet apex.—Acute.         -   Leaf and leaflet base.—Attenuate.         -   Leaf and leaflet margin.—Dentate; indentations medium in             depth and divergent.         -   Leaf and leaflet venation pattern.—Pinnate.         -   Leaf and leaflet texture and luster, upper surface.—Smooth,             glabrous; semi-glossy.         -   Leaf and leaflet texture and luster, lower surface.—Smooth,             glabrous; matte.         -   Color.—Developing leaves and leaflets, upper surface: Close             to 137A. Developing leaves and leaflets, lower surface:             Close to 137C. Fully expanded leaves and leaflets, upper             surface: Close to N137A; venation, close to 144C. Fully             expanded leaves and leaflets, lower surface: Close to 137D;             venation, close to 144A.         -   Petioles.—Length: About 7 cm. Diameter: About 4 mm.             Strength: Moderately strong. Texture and luster, upper and             lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous; semi-glossy. Color, upper             and lower surfaces: Close to 144A. -   Inflorescence description:     -   -   Appearance and arrangement.—Double inflorescence form with             ray florets forming acropetally on a receptacle;             inflorescences positioned above the foliar plane on strong             peduncles; inflorescences face mostly upright; freely             flowering habit with about eight to twelve open             inflorescences per plant at one time.         -   Fragrance.—None detected.         -   Time to flower.—Plants flower continuously from spring until             late summer in The Netherlands; early flowering habit,             plants begin flowering about ten to twelve weeks after             sticking unrooted cuttings.         -   Post-production longevity.—Inflorescences maintain good             substance for about two to three weeks on the plant;             inflorescences persistent.         -   Inflorescence buds.—Height: About 1.3 cm. Diameter: About             1.4 cm. Shape: Globular. Texture and luster: Smooth; glossy.             Color: Close to 144C.         -   Inflorescence size.—Diameter: About 9.5 cm. Depth (height):             About 2 cm to 3.5 cm. Disc diameter: About 1.2 cm.             Receptacle height: About 4 mm. Receptacle diameter: About             1.5 cm. Receptacle color: Close to 144B.         -   Ray florets.—Quantity per inflorescence: About 80 to 90             arranged in about six to ten whorls. Length: About 5 cm to             6 cm. Width: About 3 cm. Shape: Lanceolate. Apex: Obtuse.             Base: Cuneate. Margin: Entire. Aspect: Initially upright to             roughly perpendicular to the peduncle; somewhat concave.             Texture and luster, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth,             glabrous; matte. Color: When opening, upper surface: Close             to 72C. When opening, lower surface: Close to 72D. Fully             opened, upper surface: Close to N66D; venation, close to             65C; color does not change with subsequent development.             Fully opened, lower surface: Close to 65A; venation, close             to 4C; color does not change with subsequent development.         -   Disc florets.—Quantity per inflorescence: About 50 to 70;             disc florets are inconspicuous. Length: About 1.5 cm.             Diameter: About 2 mm. Shape: Tubular, elongated; apices             obtuse. Texture and luster: Smooth, glabrous; matte. Color,             when opening and fully opened, inner and outer surfaces:             Close to 1B.         -   Phyllaries.—Quantity per inflorescence: About six to eight             arranged in a single whorl. Length: About 3 cm. Width: About             1.5 cm. Shape: Lanceolate. Apex: Acute. Base: Cuneate.             Margin: Entire. Texture and luster, upper and lower             surfaces: Smooth, glabrous; matte. Color, upper and lower             surfaces: Close to 137A; venation, close to 137A.         -   Peduncles.—Length, terminal peduncle: About 11 cm. Diameter,             terminal peduncle: About 4 mm. Aspect: Mostly erect to             slightly outwardly. Strength: Moderately strong. Texture and             luster: Smooth, glabrous; semi-glossy. Color: Close to 137B.         -   Reproductive organs.—Androecium: Present on disc florets             only. Stamen quantity per floret: One. Filament length:             About 6 mm. Filament color: Close to 12B. Anther size: About             1 mm by 2.5 mm. Anther color: Close to 17A. Pollen amount:             Moderate. Pollen color: Close to 17A. Gynoecium: Present on             disc florets only. Pistil quantity per floret: One. Pistil             length: About 1.1 cm. Style length: About 1 cm. Style color:             Close to 144D. Stigma diameter: Less than 1 mm. Stigma             shape: Round. Stigma color: Close to 17B. Ovary color: Close             to 145C. Seeds: To date, seed development has not been             observed on plants of the new Dahlia. -   Pathogen & pest resistance: To date, plants of the new Dahlia have     not been observed to be resistant to pathogens and pests common to     Dahlia plants. -   Temperature tolerance & garden performance: Plants of the new Dahlia     tolerate high temperatures about 35° C. and short periods of low     temperatures about 5° to 10° C. Plants of the new Dahlia have been     observed to have good garden performance. 

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct Dahlia plant named ‘Dodahyppin’ as illustrated and described. 